Child&#39;s carriage



May 22, 1934. w BODGE 1,959,810

CHILD S CARRIAGE Filed May 11, 1931 INVENTOR ZJMW Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHILDS CARRIAGE Application May 11, 1931, Serial No. 536,511

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to a childs carriage and has relation more particularly to the running gear control thereof.

The objects of the invention include for the carriage a handle-bar driving means adapted to resiliently control the variable movements of the running gear to prevent excessive strains upon the carriage body and thus reduce the wear and tear thereon.

A further object is to provide in connection with the handle-bar and the rear axle of the carriage a spring action adapted to be manually compressed and upon reaction serve to facilitate both the raising and the lowering movements of the carriage body with respect to abrupt different levels of a passageway, as over a curb between a sidewalk and a street pavement or roadway.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Referring to the drawing in which similar char acters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of a childs carriage embodying the present invention, as positioned on a straight sidewalk or roadway.

Fig. 2, a similar view of the carriage with its front wheels elevated to a higher level and its rear wheels about to be raised over a street curbmg.

Fig. 3, a similar carriage view with the front wheels below the curb line and the rear wheels in position to be lowered thereover.

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevational view of the carriage taken at right angles to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the handle-bar and rear-axle operating mechanism, shown relative to a carriage spring.

Fig. 6 is a correspondingly enlarged end elevational view of the handle-bar and associated parts taken at right angles to Fig. 5, and showing the rear axle supported by the carriage wheels.

Numeral 5 of the drawing illustrates the 'carriage body fixed upon the upper ends of the bow or body springs 6, the latter fixedly secured at their lower ends to the relatively fixed front and rear axles '7 and 8, respectively, which in turn are loosely mounted in their respective pairs of front and rear wheels 9 and 10, all arranged in conventional manner.

Disposed upon the rear axle 8 andbetween the body springs 6 is a handle-bar consisting of a pair of side levers pivotally supported between their ends upon said axle and constituting lower lifting arms 11 and upper operating arms 12. At their upper ends the operating arms are provided with a cross-bar 13 adapted to be manually engaged by the operator, and at their lower ends the lifting arms are provided with a cross-bar 14 upon which are loosely mounted for rotation a pair'of rollers 15.

Also, upon the rear axle is fixed a pair of stop members or sleeves 16, each provided with a lower stop section 1'7 and a lifter stop section 18 disposed apart from each other and adapted to be engaged by the handle-bar and to limit the latters pivotal movement upon said axle. The sleeves 16 are also provided with hub extensionsv 19 on each of which is fixed one end of a tension spring 20, the opposite end of the latter engaging a pin 21 projecting from the operating arms 12 of the handle-bar and normally acting to urge engagement between the lifter arms 11 and the spring stops 17.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, the lifter arms 11, carrying at their lower ends the rollers 15, are normally held clear of the ground line 4 by the lower stops 17 which jointly act-in connection with the springs 20 to limit the downward movement of said lifter arms 11 and the upward movement of the operating arms 12. r 5

Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the front carriage wheels 9 may be raised above the low level line 3 to the indicated higher level 4 by manually depressing the operating arms12 of the handlebar, in which movement the lifter arms 11 are raised against the resilient action of the springs 20 and engage the lifter stops 18, and from which point the continued depression of the handle-bar causes a rotation of the axle that transmits through the carriage springs 6 a lifting movement on the front carriage wheels 9 that is also transmitted through the carriage body 5. In their upward and forward movement therollers 15 of the lifter arms 11 engage the surface of the upper level 4 and permits release of the downward pressure upon the handle-bar, which latter in turn reacts under the influence of springs 20 to assist in raising the rear axle 8 and corresponding end of the carriage from the lower level 3 over the curb to the relatively higher level 4, thus requiring for this elevating movement relatively less lifting action of the bar on the part of the operator. I

In lowering the front end of the carriage from an upper level 2 to a lower level 1, as shown in Fig. 3, the rollers 15 of the lifting arms 11 engage the upper level in opposition to the resilient action of springs 20, which latter under compression serve to yieldingly resist the forward end weight and tend to prevent excessive strain or shock upon the carriage body, and in a like yielding manner the springs 20 act to transfer the carriage weight to the rear wheels without shock.

In manually operating a vehicle of this class, as commonly constructed with the handle-bar fixed to the carriage body, considerable difficulty and overstrain are frequently experienced by. many persons in raising the rear end of the carriage and wheels over street curbs by upwardly lifting the handle-bar, as compared with, the more readily applied downward force upon the handle in raising the forward end of the vehicle.

In the operation of the carriage as herein set forth, advantage is taken of the operators ability to exert a relatively greater downward pressure upon the handle and to utilize a part thereof to compress the springs 20, which upon reaction are adapted to largely assist in lifting the rear end of the carriage. As above described, the inner ends of said springs are fixedly secured to the relatively fixed rear axle, and the outer ends of the springs engage and upwardly urge the operating arms 12 of the handle-bar into their upper position wherein they are normally retained I by the stops 1'] fixed upon said axle and engaging the lower lifter arms 11, which latter serve in connection with arms 12 to form'a pair of levers of the first class pivotally supported on said rear axle.

In the advancement of the vehicle to a street curb, or abrupt higher ground level, the handlebar is manually depressed about its pivotal point, or axle, and in its movement operates to increase the tension of the springs 20 and elevate the lifter arms 11, the latter in their movement being adapted to engage the stops 18, likewise fixed to said rear axle, and by the continued depression of the handle-bar the axle may be slightly rotated and the forward end of the carriage uraised above the curb and advanced to a point in which the free ends of the lifter arms are also adapted to rest upon said curb, as indicated in Fig. 2. In this position the operator gradually releases the downward pressure upon the handlebar and controls the latters upward movement urged by the reaction of said springs 20, in which operation the arms of the handle-bar constitute in a measure a pair of levers of the third class fulcrumed at the free ends of the lifter arms i upon the curb, with the power consisting of the springs reaction applied between the opposite ends of the lever arms to elevate the said operating arms and the rear end of the carriage as the weight to be lifted. It is to be observed that the length of the operating arms is relatively greater than that of the lifterarms and acts with considerable leverage to compress the springs in elevating the lifter arms and the front end of carriage and also in raising the rear end of the latter, the relative position and proportional arm lengths and spring tensions being designed for the accommodation of variable carriage weights and curb heights.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred construction of the invention, it is to be handle-bar pivoted between its ends upon said axle and having a lower lifter arm and an upper operating arm, a spring stop fixed to said axle and disposed to limit the downward movement of said lifter arm, resilient means adapted to normally hold said handle-bar against said spring stop, and a roller mounted at the free end of said lifter arm. V

2. In a carriage running gear including a rear axle, a handle-bar consisting of a pair of side levers pivotally supported between their ends upon said axle and constituting lower lifting arms and upper operating arms, an upper cross-bar connecting the free ends of said upper operating arms together and adapted for manual engagement, a lower cross-bar connecting the free ends of said lower lifting arms together, and rollers loosely mounted for rotation upon said lower cross-bar.

3. In a carriage running gear, a relatively fixed rear axle, a handle-bar pivoted between its" ends upon said'axle and forming a lifter arm and an upper operating arm, stops circularly spaced.

apart from each other and secured to said axle for limiting the pivotal movements of said handle-bar, a spring having its opposite ends respectively secured to said axle and handle-bar and. adapted to normally retain said lifter and operating arms in their respective lower and upperposi tions, and means upon 'a downward pressure on the operating arm to compress said spring and elevate the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of said carriage to an upper ground level.

4. In a carriage running gear, arear axle, a handle-bar pivoted between its ends upon said axle and forming a lower lifter arm and an up.- per operating arm, stops circularly spaced apart from each other and secured to said axle for limiting the pivotal movements of said handlebar, a springhaving its opposite ends respectively secured to said axle and handle-bar and adapted to normally retain said lifter arm and operating arm in their respective lower and upper positions, meansupon a downward pressure on the operating arm to compress said spring and elevate the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of said carriage to an upper ground level, and means upon the release of said operating arm to permit the reaction of I said spring to upwardlyurge therear end of said carriage.

5. In a carriage running gear, a handle-bar pivotally supported thereon and consisting of an upper operating arm, and a lower lifter arm of relatively less length than said upper arm,

a stop fixed to said running gear, manual means acting by a downward pressure on said operating arm to effect engagement between said stop and the lifter arm to raise the freeend of the latter arm and the front carriage wheels to engage a relatively higher ground level, and manual means acting by an upward pressure on said operating arm to exert a downward pressure ofthe lifter arm upon said higher ground level and raise the rear wheels of the carriage to said higher level.

6. In a carriage running gear, a handle-bar pivotally supported thereon and consisting of an upper operating-arm and a lower lifter arm of relatively less length than said upper arm, a."

pair of stopsspaced apart from each other and fixed to said running gear, resilient means fixed to said running gear and normally acting to support said operating arm in its upper position and said lifter arm in 'its lower position, means acting by a downward pressure on said operating arm to make engagement between the upper of said pair of stops and the lifter arm to elevate the free end of the latter and the front carriage wheels to engage a relatively higher ground level, and means acting by an upward pressure on said operating arm to exert a downward pressure of the lifter arm upon said higher ground level and raise the rear carriage wheels to said higher level. i

7. In a carriage running gear, a handle-bar pivotally connected between its ends to said running gear and comprising an upper operating arm and a lower lifter arm, a pair of stops spaced apart from each other in fixed relation to said running gear for limiting the pivotal movement of said handle-bar, a spring having one end thereof relatively fixed to said running gear and the opposite end connected to said handle-bar and adapted to normally retain said operating and lifter arms in their relative upper and lower positions, and means upon a downward pressure on the operating arm to compress said spring and elevate the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of said carriage to an upper ground level.

8. In a carriage running gear, a handle-bar pivotally connected between its ends to said running gear and comprising an upper operating arm and a lower lifter arm, a pair of stops spaced apart from each other in relatively fixed relation to said running gear for limiting the pivotal movements of said handle-bar, a spring having one end thereof relatively fixed to said running gear and the opposite end connected to said handle-bar and adapted to normally retain said operating and lifter arms in their respective upper and lower positions, means upon a downward pressure on the operating arm to compress said spring and elevate the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of said carriage to an upper ground level, and means upon the release of said operating arm to permit the reaction of said spring to upwardly urge the said operating arm and the rear end of said carriage.

9. In a carriage running gear, a handle-bar pivotally supported between its ends upon said running gear and consisting of an upper operating arm and a lower lifter arm of less length than said upper arm, a spring on said running gear arranged to normally support said operating arm in its upper position, and means upon a downward pressure on the operating arm to jointly increase the tension of the spring and elevate the free end of said lifter arm for engagement with a higher ground level.

10. In a carriage running gear, a handle-bar pivotally movable thereon and consisting of an upper operating arm and a lower lifter arm, a spring carried by said running gear and engaging said operating arm whereby a downward pressure on the latter will compress said spring and upwardly urge the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of the carriage to a higher ground level and upon the release of said operating arm to permit the reaction of said spring to upwardly urge the rear end of said carriage to said higher ground level.

11. In a carriage running gear, operating means including upper and lower arms pivotally mounted on said running gear, a spring carried by the latter and normally urging said arms in their respective upper and lower positions, means upon a downward pressure on the upper arm to increase the tension of said spring to upwardly urge the free end of said lower arm and the front end of said carriage to an upper ground level or street curb, and means upon an upward pressure on said upper arm to permit the reaction of said spring and upwardly urge the rear end or" said carriage to said upper ground level.

12. In a carriage running gear, a handle-bar pivotally supported thereon for downward and upward movements and comprising an upper operating arm and a lower lifter arm, a spring carr ed by said running gear and adapted to yieldingly support said operating and lifter arms in their respective upper and lower positions, means upon a downward pressure on said operating arm to compress said spring and upwardly urge the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of said carriage to a higher ground level, and means acting upon the release of said operating arm to exert a downward pressure of the lifter arm upon said higher ground level by the reaction of said spring to upwardly urge the said operating arm and the rear end of the carriage to said upper ground level.

13. In a carriage running gear, means including an upper operating arm and a lower lifter arm mounted for movement on said running gear, a spring carried by the latter and normally urging said arms in their respective upper and lower positions, means upon a downward pressure on said operating arm to increase the tension of said spring and upwardly urge the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of said carriage to an upper ground level.

14. In a carriage running gear, means including an upper operating arm and a lower lifter arm mounted for movement on said running gear, a spring carried by the latter and normally urging said arms in their respective upper and lower positions, means upon a downward pressure on said operating arm to increase the tension 01 said spring and upwardly urge the free end of said lifter arm and the front end of said carriage to an upper ground level, and means acting upon the release of said operating arm to exert a downward pressure of the lifter arm upon said upper ground level by the reaction of said spring to upwardly urge the said operating arm and the rear end of the carriage to said upper ground level.

WILLIAM BQDGE. 

